Gov. Pence appealing denial of FEMA aid

INDIANA (WTHI) – Governor Mike Pence is making an appeal after the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Indiana’s request for aid for the winter storm on January 5-9.

Pence is requesting public assistance for governments and certain non-profit organizations that would pay for 75 percent of eligible expenses.

Those expenses would pay for damage to roads, bridges, utilities, debris removal, buildings’ contents and equipment, water control facilities, parks and recreational facilities as well as emergency protective measures like traffic control and rescue operations.

Updated: State Road 45 in Monroe and Brown Counties to Close Again

Update: 2:11 p.m.

State Road 45 from the Monroe/Brown County line to just south of Tulip Tree Road in Brown County will be closed for approximately the next hour to allow crews to remove an INDOT truck that crashed there earlier this morning.

The road will be opened as soon as possible.

The Indiana State Police continue to monitor the latest winter weather. For more information, visit them online.

Update: 10:31 a.m.

SR 45 from New Unionville in Monroe County to Trevlac in Brown County is now open. It had previously been closed due to severe icy conditions and several slide-offs.

Unionville (Monroe County) – A ten mile stretch of State Road 45 is now closed from New Unionville in Monroe County to Trevlac in Brown County. The closure is due to icy road conditions and a crash in the area.

Indiana State Police along with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department are re-routing traffic at this time.

Updates will follow as more information becomes available.

Travel Advisory in Effect

The Greene County Commissioners have issued a level one travel advisory, which will be in effect until noon on Monday.

You are advised to travel at your own risk.

Winter storm impacting the Wabash Valley

WABASH VALLEY, Ind. (WTHI) – Winter Storm Warning is in effect for all counties in the Wabash Valley until 7 AM EST Monday.

A mix of sleet and ice fell this morning and cut down on our overall snow potential. Look for 3-5″ of snow in the I-70 corridor with 0.10″ of ice, snowfall from 1-3″ south with up to one quarter inch of ice.

Tornado Warning for Eastern Greene County

At 8:17 PM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 8 miles southeast of Bloomfield, and moving northeast at 65 mph.

Hazard: tornado.

Source: radar indicated rotation.

Impact: Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur. Flying debris will be deadly to people and animals. Tree damage is likely.

Locations impacted include: Owensburg and Solsberry.

Precautionary/preparedness actions:

Take cover now. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

River Flood Warnings Issued for Greene County

White River at Elliston

A flood warning for the White River at Elliston is in effect from Friday afternoon until further notice. The flood stage is 18 feet and the river is forecast to have a maximum value of 23.6 feet early Monday morning. At 23.5 feet County Road 100 North leading to Shawnee Field floods.

High water also affects other roads near the White River and there can be extensive flooding of river bottomlands.

White River at Newberry

A flood warning for the White River at Newberry is in effect from late Friday night until further notice. At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday the stage was 5.2 feet and flood stage is 13 feet. Minor flooding is forecast, and the river is expected to rise above flood stage by early Saturday morning and continue to rise to near 18.7 feet by Monday morning.

Additional rises are possible, and at 19 feet extensive agricultural flooding is in progress and some state and county roads flood. County Road 600 West just north of the river could be flooded by more than two feet of water for a considerable distance in the Mary Long Cutoff area. County Road 900 West and County Road 750 South also begin to flood.

Greene County Travel Status: Level One

The Greene County Board of Commissioners has moved the travel status for Greene County to level one. You are advised to travel at your own risk.

This advisory will last from 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday to 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Governor Declares State of Emergency for 29 Counties

Governor Mike Pence has declared a state of disaster emergency for 29 counties in Indiana.

“As a result of the severe snowstorms, extreme cold and dangerous wind conditions that have impacted counties across Indiana, I have declared a state of disaster emergency in the 29 counties that were most affected by the storm, and the State of Indiana stands ready to assist Hoosiers as needed,” said Pence. “We will continue to respond to this serious winter storm and evaluate its impact on other Indiana counties going forward.”

In a press conference held Monday morning, Pence noted that Indiana is dealing with extreme cold temperatures and that the combination of the wind and temperatures have set the state on a path where it could experience the coldest temperatures in 20 years. He asked for continued patience from Hoosiers, and expressed gratitude for public cooperation.

“If you can stay in today, stay in all day today,” the governor urged. “Take this weather event very seriously.”

Pence said he is pleased with Indiana’s response to the weather event so far, adding that the state’s local first responders are his heroes.

Statewide Travel Conditions­/­Road and Weather Update

Motorists should evaluate the need to travel anywhere in the state over the next couple of days as temperatures have fallen below zero. Add wind to the extremely frigid temperatures and wind chills are forecast to reach anywhere from 30 to 40 below zero at times with blowing snow and blizzard like conditions.

As of 8:00 this morning, although the snowfall has tapered off to mostly flurries across the state, most of Indiana is snow covered with the heaviest accumulations in northern Indiana. The following is a list of roads currently closed:

• I-80/94 east and westbound from U.S. 421 (34 mile marker) to the Illinois State Line (0 mile marker)

• I-65 north and southbound from State Road 26 (172 mile marker) to U.S. 30 (253 mile marker); and

• US 35/SR 22 in Howard County is closed from US 31 E to SR 13 in Grant County

Road conditions in central Indiana remain hazardous as INDOT crews have been out around the clock statewide working to keep roads passable.

Road conditions are only slightly better throughout southern Indiana where snow accumulations were less than in the central and northern parts of the state. However, there are still many areas where snow and ice conditions make for very hazardous travel.

The Indiana State Police advise travel in counties under a red travel advisory should only be for emergency purposes. To see the current travel status in your county, click here. Travel in these counties is extremely hazardous and should be avoided unless there is a life threatening emergency that requires the need to travel.

The Greene County Board of Commissioners has declared a Travel Advisory Level 2 for Greene County from 7:30 p.m. Sunday until noon Tuesday.

The Advisory says:

Only essential travel to and from work and emergency only.

State of Emergency for Areas of Interstate I-65 and I-80­/­94 – Portions of Interstate Closed

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Indiana State Police have mutually determined the following interstates are impassable as the result of the ongoing winter snow storm:

• I-65 north and southbound from State Road 26 (172 mile marker) to U.S. 30 (253 mile marker); and

• I-80/94 east and westbound from U.S. 421 (34 mile marker) to the Illinois State Line (0 mile marker)

This action has been taken in the interest of public safety to preserve life and property. Based on this joint assessment, the Indiana State Police, with assistance from the Indiana National Guard, are assisting stranded motorists. Motorists forced to abandon their vehicle will be transported to places of shelter.

Once closed, persons that choose to ignore the notice and attempt to travel on the affected portions of the interstate do so at their own risk. Deliberate disregard of this notice places the motorist and all occupants of the vehicle at risk of serious injury or death. It also jeopardizes the safety of public safety personnel who engage in rescue efforts of stranded motorists.

With portions of the interstate closed, INDOT resources will be able to take aggressive action to clear entry and exit ramps as well as the main line of the interstate. It is not possible to estimate when the interstate will be reopened, as it will be weather and condition dependent. It is reasonable to expect the interstate will not reopen the rest of January 5th. Updates on the status of the closed portions of the interstate system will be made starting the morning of January 6, 2014. Citizens should tune to local media for future updates.

People living in the affected areas are urged to stay home and avoid travel unless there is a life threatening emergency that necessitates travel. Indiana residents residing in areas around and south of the affected closed interstate should postpone travel plans to the affected areas as local roads are also in poor condition.

Instructions:

Do not travel on designated portions of I-65 and I-80/94 that have been closed the result of the winter storm

ISP: Don’t Get Stuck on Closed Roads

Motorists are strongly encouraged to take steps to avoid getting stuck when crashes or snow drifts close Hoosier roads. With snow falling at a rate of an inch or more per hour, to be followed by blowing and drifting snow, your vehicle may not be able to move once the road is reopened. If it is safe to do so, drivers are urged to turn around or find an alternate route to the closest safe shelter.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has a full deployment of yellow trucks plowing and treating the interstates, U.S. highways and state routes in the hardest hit portions of Indiana. While the trucks are effective in plowing accumulating and drifting snow, drivers need to do their part to keep the roads open so the plow trucks can do their job. INDOT’s trucks cannot plow through parked or stopped vehicles.

Governor Mike Pence has activated 24 Highway Assistance Teams with the Indiana National Guard, consisting of 96 individuals, to rescue stranded motorists and assist local EMS in reaching individuals who need medical attention. Each team has four individuals and two vehicles.

Drivers are strongly encouraged to not put themselves, local emergency medical services, the National Guard or other public safety professionals in harm’s way. Please listen to and follow county travel advisories to stay off the roads, both during the storm and during the blowing and drifting predicted to follow the storm.

For the latest information from the Indiana State Police on the winter storm, visit in.gov/isp/3096.htm. This page reads and flows like a blog page. This will continue to be updated for the duration of the storm over the next few days.

Updated: Areas of Linton Experiencing Power Outages

Update 8:20 p.m.

Linton Police Chief Troy Jerrell gave an update that stated “The current power outages on the NW and NE section of town are being worked on by the crews. They estimate 1 hour for the NW section and approximately 45 minutes on the NE section.”

Update 2:56 p.m.:

According to LPD Chief Troy Jerrell, ”Apparently a tree fell on a line and they are cutting it up and removing the debris…” Power should be restored within the next forty-five minutes. If your power is not restored within an hour and fifteen minutes, please contact the LPD at 847-4411 as it could be an isolated problem.

Original Post:

Several areas of Linton are currently experiencing power outages.

According to Linton Police Chief Troy Jerrell, a main transformer malfunction caused the outages, and crews are working to fix the issue.

Right now it is difficult to get through to the LPD by phone, but as soon as Jerrell has an estimate as to when power will be restored he will let everyone know.

Wind Chill Warning for Greene County

A significant winter storm is expected as low pressure tracks across the ohio valley and a strong upper trough deepens across the upper Midwest.

The snow is expected become more widespread after sunrise, with periods of heavy snow from midday into the afternoon. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches are expected by the time the snow diminishes tonight. The south and southeast parts of Central Indiana will experience a wintry mix of precipitation into the afternoon hours, which will cut down on snowfall totals in those areas. Blowing and drifting snow will become a problem this evening as winds increase.

The combination of very cold temperatures and strong winds may produce wind chills of 25 to 45 below from late tonight through Tuesday.

Wind Chill Warning in effect from 1 AM Monday to 7 PM EST Tuesday

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a Wind Chill Warning, which is in effect from 1 AM Monday to 7 PM EST Tuesday.

Snow accumulations of 5 to 7 inches are possible, along with some sleet, freezing rain, and rain.

Timing: Mixed precipitation will become more widespread after sunrise. The mixed precipitation will change to all snow during the afternoon hours. Lighter snow will continue tonight.

Other impacts: Northwest winds will increase towards sunset and continue tonight with gusts to 40 mph possible. This will result considerable blowing and drifting of snow.

Wind chill values: Bitter cold air will spread into our region starting tonight and lingering into Tuesday causing wind chills to drop to 25 to 40 below zero at times from late tonight through Tuesday.

A Wind Chill Warning means the combination of very cold air and strong winds will create dangerously low wind chill values. This will result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia or death if precautions are not taken.

A significant winter storm is likely Sunday as low pressure tracks across the Ohio Valley and a strong upper trough deepens across the upper Midwest.

In Central Indiana we are expecting the snow to begin late tonight and become heavy at times on Sunday. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches are expected by the time the snow diminishes Sunday night. The far south and southeast parts of Central Indiana may experience a wintry mix of precipitation tonight into Sunday morning, which may cut down on snowfall totals in those areas. Blowing and drifting snow will become a problem Sunday night as winds increase.

The combination of very cold temperatures and strong winds may produce wind chills of 30 to 40 below from Sunday night through Tuesday.

Other impacts: Northwest winds will increase Sunday afternoon and evening with gusts to 35 to 40 mph possible. This will result considerable blowing and drifting of snow.

Wind chill values: Bitter cold air will spread into our region Sunday afternoon and evening causing wind chills to drop to 25 to 35 below late Sunday night. Even colder temperatures will occur Monday and early Tuesday with wind chills as low as 30 to 40 below.

A Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

Greene County under Winter Storm Watch

A significant winter storm is likely Sunday as low pressure tracks across the Ohio Valley and a strong upper trough deepens across the upper Midwest.

In Central Indiana we are expecting the snow to begin Saturday night and become heavy at times on Sunday. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches are expected by the time the snow diminishes Sunday night. Blowing and drifting snow may become a problem Sunday night as winds increase.

The combination of very cold temperatures and strong winds may produce wind chills of 30 to 40 below next Monday and Tuesday.

Main impact: Roads may become impassable due to heavy snow and drifts – blowing snow will reduce visibility – travel may become very hazardous or impossible

Accumulations: Heavy snow accumulations are likely with many receiving over a half a foot.

Timing: Late Saturday night and Sunday.

Other impacts: Winds will increase to 20 mph Sunday afternoon and evening causing considerable blowing and drifting of snow.

Wind chill values: Bitter cold air will spread into our region Sunday afternoon and evening causing wind chills to drop to 20 to 25 below late Sunday night. Even colder temperatures will occur Monday and early Tuesday with wind chills as low as 30 to 40 below.

A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow and blowing snow that may impact travel. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts.

Linton Fire Chief Advises Locals to Prepare for Bitter Cold

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Indianapolis is warning that a significant winter storm is possible this Sunday. In central Indiana, they believe the snow will start Saturday night and lead to heavy accumulations in some areas by late Sunday.

The snow is expected to diminish Sunday evening, and the NWS is predicting bitter cold air across Greene County by Monday. The combination of temperatures as low as 15 below and strong winds may produce wind chills of 30 to 35 below on Monday and Tuesday.

Linton Fire Chief Brad Sparks said everyone should be prepared for this bitter cold. He recommended making sure your furnace is in working order and noted that while it is a good idea to have another heat source as a backup, you need to make sure you keep safety in mind.

“You can prepare by stocking up on groceries and preparing to stay indoors for two or three days. If you don’t have to get out in it, don’t get out in it,” he urged. “People need to remember those around them, too. If you have elderly people living close to you, then check on them every once in a while.”

Sparks also pointed out that you need to be prepared to stay warm in your vehicle as well as in your home, since Greene County is expecting the type of weather that could cause hypothermia very quickly.

“If you get in your vehicle and you have a quarter tank of fuel and know you’ll be travelling, you should fuel it up. Keep some extra blankets and extra clothes on you and maybe even some sort of heat source you could plug in. If you get stuck and run out of gas, that way you can still keep warm. They have those Little Buddy Heaters that can help with that,” he explained.

Sparks encouraged motorists to make sure their vehicles are serviced, as well as stocked with emergency items, since it can be hard for emergency personnel to quickly get to everyone who needs help in the kind of weather that is predicted for the area.

He added that everyone should make sure outdoor pets have plenty of bedding, food, and fresh water.

You may view more winter driving tips from the Indiana State Police here.

Rising Waters Close State Roads in Vincennes District

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has announced that rising waters have caused the closure of roads in the Vincennes District. The closures will remain in effect until waters recede.

The following sections of roadway have either been closed or INDOT is advising motorists to use caution around these areas of high water:

Updated Dec. 27: Road Closings­/­Openings Due to High Water

Listed below are the roads currently closed due to high water. Please check Twitter for the most up to date information concerning closings.

Greene County

OPEN: SR 157, from SR 54 Bloomfield to SR 67 Worthington

Daviess/Knox County

SR 358, from SR 67 Edwardsport to SR57 Plainville

OPEN: SR 58, from SR 67 to SR 57

Daviess/Pike County

SR 257, from US 50 Washington to SR 356 Otwell

Martin & Lawrence County

SR 450, from US 50 Shoals to SR 158 Bedford

Orange County

OPEN: SR 56, from SR 145 to US 150

Perry County

NEW: SR 66 from SR 62 Sulphur to SR 70 Derby

SR 66 from SR 166 Rocky Point to SR 70 Derby

Flood Warnings

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a Flood Warning for the White River at multiple locations:

The White River at Elliston:

From Sunday morning until further notice.

Flood stage is 18.0 feet.

Forecast – The river is forecast to have a maximum value of 24.5 feet Tuesday early afternoon.

At 24.5 feet…North end of runway of Shawnee airfield begins to flood. High water surrounds river cabins. Extensive agricultural flooding is in progress.

The White River at Newberry:

From late Saturday night until further notice.

At 3:30 PM Friday the stage was 3.5 feet.

Flood stage is 13.0 feet.

Moderate flooding is forecast.

Forecast – Rise above flood stage by Sunday morning and continue to rise to near 19.2 feet by Tuesday evening.

At 19.0 feet – Extensive agricultural flooding is in progress. Some state and county roads flood. County Road 600 W just north of river flooded by possibly more than 2 feet of water for a considerable distance in Mary Long Cutoff Area. Greene CR 900 W and CR 750 S begin to flood.

The Eel River at Bowling Green:

From late Saturday night to Tuesday morning.

At 3:30 PM Friday the stage was 3.3 feet.

Flood stage is 15.0 feet.

Minor flooding is forecast.

Forecast – Rise above flood stage by Sunday morning and continue to rise to near 19.6 feet by Sunday evening.the river will fall below flood stage by Monday evening.

At 20.0 feet – Flood waters possibly a foot deep cover SR 42 just east of the Eel River. Several county roads flood extensively. Persons in river cabins move cars and possibly belongings to high ground. Agricultural levees are threatened. Poland-Bowling Green Road is impassable in several places.

The White River at Spencer:

From Sunday morning until further notice.

At 3:30 PM Friday the stage was 4.2 feet.

Flood stage is 14.0 feet.

Minor flooding is forecast.

Forecast – Rise above flood stage by late Sunday morning and continue to rise to near 19.5 feet by Wednesday morning. additional rises are possible thereafter.

At 20.0 feet – Hyden Road, Fifth Avenue and west side of Cooper Street on Spencer’s southside begins to flood.

Odon Man Uninjured in Snow Plow Rollover

At just after midnight Ricky Laughlin, 58, was driving a 2003 Ford Sterling snow plow owned by the Indiana Department of Transportation north on South State Road 45 near Dobson Road when he ran off the snow and ice covered road, overturning the vehicle.

According to a release from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Laughlin was trapped inside by his seatbelt, but had no other injuries.

The truck lost its load of salt from the rollover.

Investigating Officer Deputy Jeff Brown noted that there were about two inches of snow at the time of the accident.